66 



A YEAR OF SPORT AND NATURAL HISTORY. 



gamekeeper, no doubt is above the logic of facts ; we must then 

 appeal to his master. Now, what are the facts ? It is probably- 

 known to most country persons that raptorial birds eject the 

 undigested portion of their food in the shape of pellets — " castings," 

 as the hawking term goes. The most cursory examination of 

 these will show that, whatever else the owls take, they do not 

 (speaking generally) take game. The result of careful investiga- 

 tion by German naturalists, quoted in Yarrell (Ed. 4, vol. i.), 

 is so instructive that it may fairly be reproduced here. It is as 

 follows : — 



{a) r Tree Creeper, i Yellow Bunting, i Wagtail, 15 small species undeter- 

 mined. 



{b) Species of Titmouse. 



{c) 19 Sparrows, i Greenfinch, 2 Swifts. 



{d) Besides a countless number of cockchafers. 



Now, see. It is the vole which forms the chief food of 

 the Tawny Owl, the destructive vole about M'hich of late 

 years such despairing cries have gone up from the farmers in 

 different parts of England and Scotland ; the mole is also caught 

 by nature's winged molecatcher, besides countless numbers of 

 those cockchafers whose larva commits such serious ravages in 

 the finest pastures. This is quite' evidence enough to cause every 

 game preserver, and even gamekeeper, in Great Britain to pause 

 in the process of extermination against an innocent and most 

 interesting bird. Beyond all doubt, the Tawny Owl is a bird that 



